Reclining chair



May 5, 1970 P. s. FLETCHER 3,510,155

RECLINING CHAIR Filed March 22, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR PETE/2 5. FLETC/IA'R BY AW Q TGk EYI May 5, 1970 P. s. FLETCHER 3,510,155

REOLINING CHAIR Filed March 22, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 7/ INVENTOR.

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INVENTOR. RETBQ S. FLETCHER "MUM P. S. FLETCHER RECLINING CHAIR May 5, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 22, 1961 IN V EN TOR.

PiTEB a FL E TCHEQ United States Patent 01 :"fice 3,510,166 Patented May 5, 1970 3,510,166 RECLINING CHAIR Peter S. Fletcher, 200 NW. th St., Delray Beach, Fla. 33444 Filed Mar. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 97,523 Int. Cl. A47c ]/02 U8. Cl. 297-89 11 Claims The present invention relates generally to reclining chairs, and in particular to an improved all-purpose reclining chair of either the rester type, in which the seat and back-rest are rigidly formed, or the lounger type, in which the seat and back-rest are independently pivotally mounted, said chair being capable of assuming a wide range of positions, including a normal sitting position, an intermediate, tilted sitting position and a fully reclined position.

The normal well known single movement reclining chair of the rester or lounger type comprises a support, bodysupporting means and a leg-rest which are coordinated to each other such that the leg-rest and the body-supporting means move relative to each other and to the support at a substantially uniform rate from the normal sitting position to a fully reclined position, with the legrest arriving at an elevated leg-supporting position when the body-supporting means moves into the fully reclined position. With this type of chair, there are a number of intermediate reclining positions in which the leg-rest is partially elevated and wherein the legs of the chair occupant are supported in a somewhat depending attitude from that attained when the leg-rest is in the fully elevated leg-supporting position corresponding to the fully reclined position for the chair.

Of more recent times, there has been introduced multiple movement chairs of the rester and lounger type in which the chair movement is divided essentially into two phases. In the first movement phase, the body-supporting means tilts only slightly and moves into an intermediate, tilted sitting position, with the leg-rest moving from a stored position to its fully elevated leg-supporting position. In the second movement phase, the body-supporting means is appreciably tilted, with or without an opening up or increase in the angular relation between the seat and back-rest thereof, and the leg-rest remains substantially in the fully elevated leg-supporting position. A number of intermediate positions are available during the first movement phase all of which are tilted sitting positions, with the leg-rest being supported at various degrees or partial elevation and arriving at the fully-elevated legsupporting position at the end of the first movement phase.

The second movement phase may be considered to produce a number of intermediate reclined positions in which the leg-rest is maintained substantially in the same fully elevated leg-supporting position relative to the body-supporting means. Although both the single movement and multiple movement chairs have essentially the same end limit positions, it will be appreciated that a different range of various intermediate positions is available in each type of chair. Depending upon consumer preference and the particular uses to which the chair is to be put, whether it be for reading, television viewing, sewing, complete relaxation or the like, one or the other of the chairs may be considered to be more desirable by any particular consumer or purchaser. It is a virtual certainty that a reclining chair which exhibited the attributes of both the conventional single movement chair and the more recently introduced multiple movement chair would have much greater consumer acceptance and commercial potential.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reclining chair which exhibits attributes of both the single movement and multiple movement types of reclining chairs. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide an all-position reclining chair which is capable of providing movement sequences comparable to both the multiple movement and single movement types of reclining chairs. Advantageously, the chair occupant may move from a normal sitting position through a first movement phase to an intermediate, tilted sitting position and then through a second movement phase into a fully reclined position, and then to return through the reverse sequence; or, by bearing down on the leg-rest, the chair occupant may return to the normal sitting position with the leg-rest of the chair concurrently moving from the elevated leg-supporting position to the stored position in substantially the same movement relationship as attained in a single movement type of reclining chair.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the present invention, there is provided a reclining chair which comprises a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest, and a mounting linkage operatively connected to and mounting the body-supporting means on the support for a first sequence of movement having a first phase from a normal sitting position to a tilted sitting position and a second phase from the tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position. The mounting linkage includes means which mounts one link thereof such that a point on the one link moves along first and second curved paths respectively during the first and second phases of the first sequence of movement. The body-supporting means is arranged to move into the intermediate, tilted sitting position when the point on the one link is at the junction of the first and second curved paths. A limiting means is movably mounted on the support and has an operative connection to the mounting link at the point on the one link and is effective in conjunction with the mounting linkage to mount the body-supporting means for a second sequence of movement wherein the body-supporting means may move directly from the fully reclined position to the normal sitting position during which the point on the one link moves along a third curved path joining the outer ends of the first and second curved paths. The first, second and third paths bound an area in which the operative connection between the limiting means and the one link is free to move to provide a range of positions for the bodysupporting means, in addition to the positions attainable during the first and second movement sequences. It is thus possible for the chair occupant to move either from the fully reclined position through the second phase of the first movement sequence and return to the tilted sitting position and then through the first phase into the normal sitting position, with comparable movement of the legrest in accordance with the general operation of a multiple movement chair; or in the alternative,.the chair occupant may move directly from the fully reclined position to the normal sitting position, with comparable movement of the leg-rest in accordance with the general operation of a single movement chair.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiments, of reclining chairs in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an all-position reclining chair of the rester type embodying features of the present invention, with parts broken away and sectioned, and with the chair shown in the upright or normal sitting position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational View similar to FIG. 1, but showing the chair in the intermediate, tilted sitting position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. but showing the chair in the fully reclined position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the chair in an intermediate reclined position during the second movement sequence corresponding to a single movement type of chair;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 4, and showing the chair in a still further intermediate reclining position which is representative of the range of the additional positions which are attainable in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the mounting linkage for the chair, with a diagrammatic representation of the movement of a point on one of the links thereof corresponding successively to the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5 inclusive;

FIG. 7 is a composite schematic or diagrammatic showing demonstrating the relationship between the illustrative positions shown specifically in FIGS. 1 through 5 inclusive of the drawings;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of an all-position reclining cair of the lounger type demonstrating further features of the present invention and shown in the upright or normal sitting position;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the chair in an intermediate, tilted Sitting position; and,

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 9, but showing the chair in a fully reclining position.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 1 through 7 inclusive of the drawings, there is shown a first embodiment of an all-position reclining chair of the loose cushion rester type demonstratng features of the present invention which is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and includes a support or frame 12 having opposite side walls 14, 16 interconnected by suitable cross braces 18.

A body-supporting unit 20 of the loose cushion type and including a seat 22 having a loose cushion 22a and a back-rest 24 is movably mounted on the support 12 for movement including a first movement sequence having a first phase from the normal sitting position (see FIG. 1) to an intermediate, tilted sitting position (see FIG. 2) and a second phase from the intermediate, tilted sitting position to a fully reclining position (see FIG. 3); and for a second movement sequence directly from the fully reclined position (see FIG. 3) through a number of intermediate reclined positions as illustrated by the showing of FIG. 4 to the normal sitting position (see FIG. 1).

Disposed beneath the forward end of the seat 22 is a leg-rest 26 which is movable from a stored or retracted position (see FIG. 1) to a fully extended and elevated leg-supporting position (see FIG. 2) during the first phase of the first movement sequence in which the legrest remains during the second phase of the first movement sequence and as the chair moves into the fully reclined position of FIG. 3; and for a second movement sequence from the fully extended and elevated position of FIG. 3 through intermediate elevated leg-supporting positions, as exemplified by FIG. 4, with the leg-rest 26 eventually returning to the stored position as shown in FIG. 1.

A mounting linkage mechanism or chair hardware is provided at each side of the chair, as generally designated by the reference numeral 28, and serves to coordinate the movement of the body-supporting unit 20 and of the leg-rest 26 in accordance with the all-position operation attainable in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The mounting linkage 28 includes a carrier member or link 30 which extends fore and aft of the chair frame 12 and has a stationary carrier pivot 32 at its rearward end on the support 12. The carrier link 30 remains in a stationary position during the first movement phase, as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 1 and 2, which stationary position is established by stop link 34 which has a pivotal connection 36 at its upper end to the carrier link 30 intermediate the ends thereof and a lost motion connection at the lower end thereof to the support 12. Specifically, the lost motion connection is provided by a pin 38 which is mounted on the support 12 and confined within an elongated slot 40 formed in the lower end of the stop link 34, with the pin 38 being disposed at the upper end of the slot throughout the first movement phase.

Operatively connected between the forward portion of the seat 22, the forward end of the carrier link 30 and the leg-rest 26 is a combined leg-rest mounting and front seat guiding linkage which includes a first pair of links 42, 44 having a pivotal interconnection 46, a second pair of links 48, having a pivotal interconnection 52, and a third pair of links 54, 56 having a pivotal interconnection 58. The first link 42 of the link pair 42, 44 has a pivotal connection 60 to the seat 22, while the first link 48 of the link pair 48, 50 has a pivotal connection 62 to the seat 22 at a point spaced forwardly of the pivotal connection 60. The second link 44 of the link pair 42, 44 crosses over the link 48 and has a pivotal connection 64 thereto and at its forward end has a pivotal connection 66 to the adjacent end of the link 54 of the link pair 5 4, 56. The link 50 of the link pair 48, 50 has a pivotal connection 68 to the leg-rest 26, while the link 56 of the link pair 54, 56 has a pivotal connection 70 to the leg-rest 26 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 68. Finally, the link 50 of the link pair 48, 50 has a pivotal connection 72 to the link 54 of the link pair 54, 56. This combined legrest mounting and front seat guiding linkage is of the type disclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 832,976, filed Aug. 11, 1959 and issued as Pat. No. 3,001,819 and entitled Reclining Chair Including Improved Seat Control and provides a four-bar seat guiding linkage for the forward portion of the seat. This fourbar seat guiding linkage includes the portion of the seat 22 intermediate the pivotal connections 60, 62 as a first movable link thereof, the portion of the link 48 between the pivotal connection 62 and the pivotal connection 64 as a second movable link thereof, the portion of the link 44 intermediate the pivotal connections 64, 46 as a third movable link thereof and the link 42 intermediate the pivotal connections 46, 60 as a fourth movable link thereof. This four-bar seat guiding linkage has a pivotal mount on the support via the rearwardly directed integral extension 44a of the link 44 which has a pivotal connection 74 to the forward end of the carrier link 30.

The rearward portion of the body-supporting unit 20 is guided by a rear guiding link 76 which has a pivotal mount 78 on the support and a pivotal connection 80 to the seat 22 at a point spaced rearwardly of the pivotal connection 60, 62 of the front seat guiding linkage.

The described mounting linkage 28 is capable of establishing a first movement sequence during which the bodysupporting unit 20 of the chair 10' moves from the normal sitting position illustrated in FIG. 1 through a first phase into the intermediate, tilted sitting position illustrated in FIG. 2 and then through a second phase into the fully reclined position illustrated in FIG. 3. During the first phase, the carrier link 30 remains stationary. When the occupant is seated in the chair and pushes against the arms 14, 16, the body-supporting unit 20 will move into the intermediate, tilted sitting position illustrated in FIG. 2, with the leg-rest 26 concurrently moving into the fully extended leg-supporting position. During such first phase of movement, the front of the seat 22 is guided by the four-bar seat guiding linkage while the rear of the seat 22 is guided by the rear guiding link 76 turning in the clockwise direction about the rear pivotal mount 78. The first phase of movement is terminated when the rear guiding link 76 abuts the pin or stud 32 serving as a stop. Thereafter, and throughout the second phase of move ment, the pivotal connection 80 of the rear guiding link 76 to the body-supporting unit 20 serves as a pivotal mount about which the body-supporting unit 20 turns, with the carrier link 30 turning in the clockwise direction about the carrier pivot 32. It will thus be appreciated that during the second phase of movement, the seat turns about a pivot 80 which is spaced from the carrier pivot 32. During the second movement phase, the carrier link 30 has a controlling function in that it is effective to adjust the leg-rest 26 in a slightly downward direction relative to the cushion 22a of the seat 22 such that the legs of the chair occupant are not supported in an over-elevated position relative to the torso. The slight downward movement or adjustment of the leg-rest 26 is brought about in that the body-supporting unit 20 turns about the pivotal connection '80, while the carrier link 30 turns about the carrier pivot 32. Effectively the links '42, 48 of the leg-rest linkage are turning with the seat 22 about the pivotal connection 80, while the link 44 is pivotally connected to the carrier link and effectively turns about the carrier pivot 32. As is generally understood, when the chair occupant urges his or her weight forwardly it is possible to initiate a reverse sequence of chair operation, with the body-supporting unit 20 moving through the second phase of movement into the intermediate, tilted sitting position and then through the first phase of movement into the upright or normal sitting position.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a limiting means which is movably mounted on the support and provided with an operative connection to the mounting linkage 28 which is effective in conjunction with the mounting linkage 28 to mount the body-supporting unit 24 for a second movement sequence directly from the fully reclining position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the normal sitting position illustrated in FIG. 1, with the chair moving through a wide range of further positions including that illustrated in FIG. 4. Specifically, the limiting means is in the form of a limiting link 82 which is mounted on the support 12 by the provision of an elongated slot 54 at its lower end which is engaged by the pin 38. The limiting link 82 has an operative or pivotal connection 86 at its upper end to the link 42 of the combined front seat guiding and leg-rest mounting arrangement. The limiting link 82 is substantially inactive during the first movement sequence described aforesaid wherein the body-supporting unit 20 moves in the usual mode of a multiple movement chair successively through the first and second movement phases, as illustrated progressively in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive. However, if the chair occupant pushes down on the leg-rest 26 when in the fully reclined position of FIG. 3, the limiting link 82 becomes effective to constrain the body-supporting unit 20 to tilt forwardly as the leg-rest 26 moves downwardly to establish the second movement sequence for the chair which is in a mode comparable to that produced by a conventional single movement reclining chair.

The function of the limiting link and the new mode of operation attainable for reclining chairs in accordance with the present invention may be further appreciated by reference to FIG. 6 which shows the relationship of the carrier link 30, the front seat guiding links 42, 44 and the limiting link 82 in a position corresponding to the normal sitting position of FIG. 1. In this illustrative showing, the operative connection 86 between the link 42 and the limiting link 82 has been indicated by the rotation P. During the first phase of the first movement sequence the point P moves along a first curved path a from its initial position P arriving at the point P when the chair is in the intermediate, tilted sitting position illustrated in FIG. 2. During the second phase of the first movement sequence, the pivotal connection P moves along the second curved path 12, arriving at the position P when the chair is in the fully reclined position illus trated in FIG. 3. The curved paths a, b joining the point P P and P represent the path of movement of a point on the mounting linkage of a typical multiple-movement chair. During such movement, it will be appreciated that the limiting link 82 is eifectively inoperative. However, the chair occupant may initiate the second movement sequence by pushing down on the leg-rest 26 to cause the operative connection 86 to move along the curved path 0 joining the opposite ends of the curved paths a, b, with the operative connection P moving between the points P and P through the point R; which corresponds to the illustrated position of FIG. 4. The areas bounded by the three paths a, b, and c, and illustrated by the shading in FIG. 6, defines limits within which the pivotal or operative connection 86 or P is free to move to provide the all-position mode of operation and range of positions for the body-supporting unit 20 supplementing those previously described. For example, the pivotal connection 86 may move into a location corresponding to the point P to move the chair into the illustrated intermediate reclining position shown in FIG. 5. It will be appreciated that the position illustrated in FIG. 5 and corresponding to the point P within the shaded area is merely illustrative of the many new positions which may be attained in accordance with the present invention. The illustrative position in FIG. 5 is neither a position that could be attained with the conventional single movement reclining chair of the rester type or a position that could be attained with the more recently developed multiple movement reclining chair, but rather is a new position which has attributes of both types of chairs. The flexibility and versatility of adjustment in the relationship between the body-supporting unit 20 and the leg-rest 26- may be further appreciated by reference to the composite showing of FIG. 7 wherein the five illustrated positions for the chair has been diagrammatically superimposed and respectively designated by the notations F to F inclusive. An infinite number of other positions are attainable as the connection 86 to the limiting link 82 moves in the constraining area bounded by the paths a, b and 0.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 8 to l0 inclusive, there is shown a second embodiment of an all-position reclining chair of the lounger type demonstrating further features of the invention which is generally designated by the reference numeral and includes a support or frame 112 having opposite side walls 114, 116 interconnected by suitable cross braces 118-.

Mounted on the support 112 is a body-supporting means 120 including a seat 122 which is mounted for inclining movement and a back-rest 124 which is mounted for reclining movement, as will be subsequently described. The body-supporting means is arranged for movement including a first movement sequence having a first phase from the normal sitting position (see FIG. 8) to an intermediate, tilted sitting position (see FIG. 9) during which there is substantially no change in the angular relationship between the seat 122 and the back-rest 124 and a second phase from the intermediate, tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position (see FIG. 10) during which there is an increase or opening up of the included angle between the seat 122 and the back-rest 124; and for a second sequence directly from the fully reclined position (see FIG. 10) through a number of intermediate reclined positions (not shown, but generally comparable to the illustrative position of FIG. 4) to the normal sitting position (see FIG. 8).

Disposed beneath the forward end of the seat 122 is a leg-rest 126 which is movable from a stored or retracted position (see FIG. 8) to a fully extended and elevated leg-supporting position (see FIG. 9) during the first phase of the first movement sequence in which elevated legsupporting position the leg-rest 126 remains during the second phase of the first movement sequence and as the chair moves into the fully reclined position (see FIG. 10). Further, the leg-rest 126 is movable through a second movement sequence from the fully extended and elevated leg-supporting position of FIG. 10' through intermediate elevated leg-supporting positions (not shown but 7 exemplified by the illustrative showing of FIG. 4), with the leg-rest 126 eventually returning to the stored position as shown in FIG. 8.

A mounting linkage mechanism or chair hardware is provided at each side of the chair, as is generally designated by the reference numeral 128, and serves to coordinate the movement of the independently movable seat 122 and back-rest 124 of the body-supporting means 120 and the leg-rest 126 in accordance with the all-position operation attainable in accordance with the present invention. The mounting linkage 128 includes a carrier member or link 130 which extends fore and aft of the chair frame 112 and has a stationary carrier pivot 132 at its rearward end on the support 112. The carrier links 130 rests against the adjacent cross brace 118 serving as a stop and remains stationary during the first movement phase of the first movement sequence, as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 8 and 9.

Operatively connected between the forward portion of the seat 122, the forward end of the carrier link 130, and the leg-rest 126 is a combined leg-rest mounting and front seat guiding linkage which includes a first pair of links 134, 136 having a pivotal interconnection 138 and a second pair of links 140, 142 having a pivotal interconnection 144. The first link 134 of the first link pair 134, 136 has a pivotal connection 146 to the seat 122, while the first link 140 of the second link pair 140, 142 has its pivotal connection 148 to the seat 122 at a point spaced forwardly of the pivotal connection 146. The second link 136 of the first link pair 134, 136 crosses behind the link 140 of the second link pair 140, 142 and has a coordinating connection 150 thereto. The forward end of the link 136 has a pivotal connection 152 to the leg-rest 126. The second link 142 of the second link pair, 140, 142 has a pivotal connection 154 to the legrest 126 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 152. Finally, the link 134 is provided with an integral extension 134a which has a pivotal connection 156 to the forward end of the carrier member or link 130. The pivotal connection 156 serves as a stationary pivotal mount for the double four-bar leg-rest mounting linkage during the first movement phase of the first movement sequence. It will be appreciated that the link defined by the integral extension 134a intermediate the pivotal connections 146, 156 defines a front guiding link for the seat 122.

In this illustrative embodiment, the seat 122 has rigidly connected thereto a seat mounting link 158 to which the pivotal connection 146, 148 are made, and the back-rest 124 has rigidly connected thereto a back-rest mounting link 160. Intermediate the rearward of the seat mounting link 158 and the forward end of the back-rest mounting link 160 is a back-rest pivot 162.

The rearward portion of' the seat 122 is guided by a rear seat guiding link 164 which has a rear pivotal mount 166 on the carrier member or link 130 and a rear pivotal connection 168 to the seat via the seat mounting link 158. The back-rest 124 is guided by a toggle control linkage which includes toggle links 170, 172 interconnected at a knee pivot 174. The toggle control linkage has a pivotal connection 176 between the toggle link 170 and the seat mounting link 158 at a point spaced below the back-rest pivot 162 and a pivotal connection 178 between the toggle link 172 and the back-rest mount ing link 160. The toggle linkage is completed by a control link 1 80 which has a control pivotal connection 182 to the toggle link 174 and a pivotal mount 184 on the support.

Provision is made for blocking the clockwise turning movement of link 134 about the pivotal connection 146 to establish the end of the first movement phase. As seen in FIG. 9, this is achieved by the provision of a stop 184 on the seat mounting link 158 in position to abut the link 134 in the desired intermediate, tilted sitting position.

The described linkage 128 is capable of establishing a first movement sequence during which the body-supporting means moves from the normal sitting position illustrated in FIG. 8 through a first movement phase into the intermediate, tilted sitting position illustrated in FIG. 9, with substantially no change in the angular relationship betvr een the seat 122 and the back-rest; and then through a second movement phase into the fully reclined position illustrated in FIG. 10 during which the included angle between the seat 122 and the back-rest 124 is increased. During the first phase, the carrier link or member remains stationary. When the occupant is seated in the chair and pushes against the arms 114, 116 of the chair support or frame 112, the body-supporting means will move into the intermediate, tilted sitting position illustrated in FIG. 9, with the leg-rest 126 concurrently moving into the fully extended legsupporting position. During such first phase of the first movement sequence, the front of the seat 122 is guided by the front guiding link provided intermediate the piv otal mount 156 and the pivotal connection 146, while the rearward portion of the seat is guided by the rear seat guiding link 164 turning about the rear pivotal mount 166 on the stationary carrier member 130. The back-rest 124 is guided by the toggle control linkage in which the links 170, 172 remain substantially stationary relative to each other. The first phase of the first movement sequence is terminated when the link 134 abuts the stop 184. Thereafter and throughout the second phase of the first movement sequence, the seat 122 is effectively rigid with the carrier link 130, with the carrier link 130 turning in the clockwise direction about the carrier pivot 132. Concurrently and during the second movement phase of the first movement sequence, the control link and the associated toggle links 170, 172 are effective to guide the back-rest 124 such that there is an appreciahle turning movement about the back-rest pivot 162 and a corresponding increase in the angular relationship between the seat 122 and the back-rest 124. The fully reclined position of FIG. 10 is established in any appropriate fashion, for example, by the lower portion of the back-rest 124 abutting the rear cross brace 118 serving as a stop.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a limiting means which is movably mounted on a support and is provided with an operative connection to the mounting linkage 128. The limiting means is effective in conjunction with the mounting linkage 128 to mount the body-supporting means 120 for a second movement sequence directly from the fully reclined position illustrated in FIG. 10 to the normal sitting position illustrated in FIG. 8, with the body-supporting means moving through a wide range of further reclined positions, as previously described. Specifically, the limiting means is in the form of a limiting link 186 which is mounted on the support 112 by the provision of an elongated slot 188 at its lower end which engages a stud or pin 190 on the support. The limiting link 186 is substantially inactive during the first movement sequence described above wherein the body-supporting means 120 moves in the usual mode of a multiple movement chair of the lounger type successively through the first and second movement phases as illustrated progressively in FIGS. 8 to 10 inclusive. However, if the chair occupant pushes down on the leg-rest 126 when the chair is in the fully reclined position of FIG. 10, the limiting link 186 becomes effective to constrain the body-supporting means to tilt forwardly as the leg-rest 126 moves downwardly to establish the second movement sequence for the chair which is in a mode comparable to that produced by a conventional single movement reclining chair of the lounger type. It should be noted that the limiting link may establish the full reclined position when the pin 190 engages the rear end of the slot 188.

The function of the limiting link and the new mode of operation obtainable for reclining chairs of the lounger type in accordance with the illustrative embodiment illustrated in FIGS. -8 to 10 inclusive is similar to that previously described in conjunction with the first embodiment and accordingly, further description is dispensed with. It will be appreciated that in both illustrative embodiments all positions in the first phase of the first movement sequence are tilted sitting positions; all positions in the second phase of the first movement sequence are reclining positions; and all positions in the second movement sequence are also reclining positions including the variety of new positions heretofore not obtainable with reclining chairs of either the single movement of multiple movement types. It will be appreciated that the improved linkages in accordance with the present invention provide a limited area of movement in which the new allposition reclining chair may function. The boundaries of the area are substantially those determined by the old single movement type of reclining chair and the more recent multiple movement type of reclining chair. Although the boundaries of the area have been illustrated as being curves on substantially fixed radii, it will be apprecated that the boundaries may be of varying and irregular curvatures and also curves of infinite radius depending upon the guiding functions of the coordinating or controlling linkage. Further, the coordinating or controlling linkage must be capable of producing the new positions within the restricted area and of assuring proper balance for the body-supporting means in such new positions. Varying conditions of balance are presented in the respective movement sequences due to the differing positions of the leg-rest. Accordingly, the coordinating or controlling linkage must be capable of attaining proper balance in the various positions into which the chair may move to assure proper chair performance. Still further, the mounting linkage must have at least two degrees of freedom. That is, it must have the flexibility to follow three different paths (for the first, second and third motion phases), the first with some links operative, the second with other links operative, and the third with all links working. The limiting means in accordance with the present invention controls the way in which all the links move together and requires the two degrees of freedom in the mounting linkage referred to above. The limiting means itself includes an open connection so that the mounting linkage may move in the first and second motion phases but is still controlled in the second sequence. Thus, the control pivot is constrained to move along the three sides of the area defined by the three modes of operation of the chair.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and a back rest, and a linkage for mounting said body-supporting means on said support for movement from a normal sitting position to a tilted sitting position and from said tilted sitting position to a full reclined position, said linkage being arranged such that a point on a link of said linkage has substantially tWo curved paths of movement joined together at a junction, and a limiting link operatively connected to said linkage including a connection to said link at said point, said limiting link producing a single arcuate path joining the free ends of said two curved paths, said limiting link in conjunction with said link of said linkage being effective to limit the position of said point at any instant to the area bounded by said two curved paths and said single arcuate path, said limiting link serving as a limited action sequence means to constrain said linkage to move said body supporting means into a range of positions determined by said area so that said body-supporting means may be moved from said normal sitting position to said tilted sitting position and then to said full reclined position, may be moved from said normal sitting position to said full reclined position directly, and may be selectively positioned in said range of positions.

2. A reclining chair according to claim 1 including a leg-rest, and a leg-rest linkage operatively connected to said leg-rest and to said body-supporting means and mounting said leg-rest for movement to an elevated legsupporting position in front of said seat when the bodysupporting means moves to said tilted sitting position and for maintaining said leg-rest in said elevated leg-supporting position when said body-supporting means is moved to said full reclined position, said leg-rest being positionable in various intermediate angular leg-supporting positions in front of and in line with the front top edge of sadi seat, said positions corresponding to said range of positions of said body-supporting means.

3. A reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting unit including a unitary seat and a back rest, and a linkage for mounting said body-supporting unit on said support for movement from a normal sitting position to a tilted sitting position and from said tilted sitting position to a full reclined position, said linkage being arranged such that a point on a link of said linkage has substantially two curved paths of movement joined together at a junction, and a limiting link operatively connected to said linkage including a connection to said link at said point, said limiting link producinga single arcuate path joining the free ends of said two curved paths, said limiting link in conjunction with said link of said linkage being effective to limit the position of said point at any instant to the area bounded by said two curved paths and said single arcuate path, said limiting link serving as a limited action sequence means to con strain said linkage to move said body supporting unit into a range of positions determined by said area so that said body-supporting unit may be moved from said normal sitting position to said tilted sitting position and then to said full reclined position, may be moved from said normal sitting position to said full reclined position directly, and may be selectively positioned in said range of positions.

4. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and a back rest mounted for inclining and reclining movement respectively, and a linkage for mounting said body-supporting means on said support for movement from a normal sitting position to a tilted sitting position with substantially no change in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest, and from said tilted sitting position to a full reclined position with an increase in the angular relationship between said seat and back-rest, said linkage being arranged such that a point on a link of said linkage has substantially two curved paths of movement joined together at a junction, and a limiting link operatively connected to said linkage including a connection to said link at said point, said limiting link producing a single arcuate path joining the free ends of said two curved paths, said limiting link in conjunction with said link of said linkage being elfective to limit the position of said point at any instant to the area bounded by said two curved paths and said single arcuate path, said limiting link serving as a limited action sequence means to constrain said linkage to move said body supporting means into a range of positions determined by said area so that said body-supporting means may be moved from said normal sitting position to said tilted sitting position and then to said full reclined position, may be moved from said normal sitting position to said full reclined position directly, and may be selectively positioned in said range of positions.

5. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and back-rest, a mounting linkage operatively connected to and mounting said bodysupporting means on said support for a first movement sequence having a first phase from a normal sitting position to a tilted sitting position and a second phase from said tilted sitting position to a full reclined position, said mounting linkage including means mounting one link thereof such that a point on said one link moves along respective first and second curved paths during said first and second phases of said first movement sequence, said point being at the junction of said first and second curved paths when said body-supporting means is in said tilted sitting position, a limiting link having a pivotal connection to said mounting linkage at said point on said one link, and means including a pin and slot interconnection movably mounting said limiting link on said support such that said limiting link is effective in conjunction with said mounting linkage to mount said body-supporting means for a second movement sequence directly from said full reclined position to said normal sitting position during which said point moves along a third curved path joining the outer ends of said first and second curved paths, said first, second and third paths bounding an area in which said pivotal connection is free to move to provide a range of positions for said body-supporting means in addition to the positions attainable during said first and second movement sequences.

6. A reclining chair according to claim 5 wherein said mounting linkage includes a carrier link pivotally mounted on said support at a carrier pivot, said carrier link remaining stationary during said first phase of said first movement sequence and pivoting about said carrier pivot during said second phase, and means pivotally mounting said one link of said mounting linkage on said carrier link.

7. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and a back-rest, a mounting linkage mounting said body-supporting means on said support for movement during a first motion phase from a normal sitting position to a tilted sitting position and during a second motion phase from said tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position, a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest on said chair for coordinated movement from below the front of said seat to a legsupporting position substantially at the level of the front of said seat in response to said first phase of motion of said body-supporting means and for maintaining said legrest on said leg-supporting position relative to said seat during said second motion phase, said mounting linkage for said body-supporting means having at least two degrees of freedom and operating with only one degree of freedom in each of said motion phases, said mounting linkage including said support and said body-supporting means as links thereof, a control pivot on a first link of said mounting linkage, and a mounting pivot on a second link of said mounting linkage, said mounting linkage moving during said two phases of motion to move said control pivot relative to said mounting pivot along one path during said first motion phase and along a second and different path during said second phase, a limiting link operatively connected to said mounting linkage between said control pivot and said mounting pivot, said mounting pivot being located equidistant from the two end positions of said control pivot such that said limiting link constrains said control pivot to move in a third path different from said first and second path to guide said body-supporting means in a third phase of movement from said normal sitting position to said fully reclined position, said limiting link constraining said mounting linkage to selectively move with at least two degrees of freedom, said operative connection of said limiting link including a lost motion connection to allow said control pivot to selectively follow said first and second paths of movement, the leg-rest mounting means coordinating the movement of said leg- 12 rest with the movement of said body-supporting means in said third phase of movement to elevate said leg-rest at a substantially uniform rate as said body-supporting means moves from said normal sitting position to said fully reclined position.

8. A reclining chair comprising a support, body supporting means including a seat and a back-rest, mounting means mounting said body-supporting means on said support for movement during a first motion phase from a normal sitting position to a tilted sitting position and during a second motion phase from said tilted sitting position to a fully-reclined position, a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest on said chair for coordinated movement from below the front of said seat to a leg-supporting position substantially at the level of the front of said seat in response to said first phase of motion of said body-supporting means and for maintaining said leg-rest in said legsupporting position relative to said seat during said second motion phase, said mounting means in combination with said support and said body-supporting means forming a mounting linkage including said support and said body-supporting means as links thereof, said mounting linkage for said body-supporting means having at least two degrees of freedom and operating with only one degree of freedom in each of said motion phases, a control pivot on a first link of said mounting linkage, at least one mounting pivot on at least one other link of said mounting linkage, limiting means operatively connected to said mounting linkage between said control pivot on said first link and said mounting pivot on said one other link, said mounting linkage moving during said two phases of motion to move said control pivot relative to said mounting pivot along one path during said first motion phase and along a second and different path during said second phase, the connections of said limiting means to said mounting linkage at said control pivot and said mounting pivot being positioned relative to each other in said normal sitting position and said full reclined position such that said limiting means constrains said control pivot to move relative to said mounting pivot in a third path different from said first and second paths to guide said body-supporting means in a third phase of motion from said normal sitting position to said fully reclined position, said limiting means constraining said mounting linkage to selectively move with at least two degrees of freedom, at least one of said connections of said limiting means to said mounting linkage including an open connection to allow said control pivot to selectively follow said first and second paths of movement, the leg-rest mounting means coordinating the movement of said legrest with the movement of said body-supporting means in said third phase of motion to elevate said leg-rest at a substantially uniform rate as said body-supporting means moves from said normal sitting position to said fully reclined position.

9. A reclining chair as defined in claim 8 wherein said mounting linkage includes a carrier link pivotally mounted on said support and said first link is a seat guide link pivotally connected at one end to said carrier link and at the other end to said seat, said seat guide link moving and said carrier link remaining stationary during said first motion phase, said carrier link moving during said second motion phase, said guide link and said carrier link both moving relative to each other and to the support during said third motion phase.

10. A reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting unit including a rigidly connected seat and back-rest, mounting means mounting said body-supporting unit on said support for movement during a first motion phase from a normal sitting position to a tilted sitting position and during a second motion phase from said tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position, a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest on said chair for coordinated movement from below the front of said seat to a leg-supporting position substantially at the level of the front of said seat in response to said first phase of motion of said body-supporting means and for maintaining said leg-rest substantially in said leg-supporting position relative to said seat during said second motion phase, said mounting means in combination with said support and said body-supporting means forming a mounting linkage including said support and said body-supporting unit as links thereof, said mounting linkage for said body-supporting means having two degrees of freedom and operating with only one degree of freedom in each of said motion phases, a control pivot on a first link of said mounting linkage, at least one mounting pivot on at least one other link of said mounting linkage, limiting means operatively connected to said mounting linkage between said control pivot on said first link and said mounting pivot on said one other link of said mounting linkage, said mounting linkage moving during said two phases of motion to move said control pivot relative to said mounting pivot along one path during said first motion phase and along a second and different path during said second phase, the connections of said limiting means to said mounting linkage at said control pivot and said mounting pivot being positioned relative to each other in said normal sitting position and in said full reclined position such that said limiting means constrains said control pivot to move relative to said mounting pivot in a third path different from said first and second paths to guide said bodysu-pporting means in a third phase of motion from said normal sitting position to said fully reclined position, said limiting means constraining said mounting linkage to selectively move with two degrees of freedom, at least one of said connections of said limiting means to said mounting linkage including an open connection to allow said control pivot to selectively follow said first and second paths of movement, the leg-rest mounting means coordinating the movement of said leg-rest with the movement of said body-supporting means in said third phase of motion to elevate said leg-rest at a substantially uniform rate as said body-supporting means tilts at a substantially uniform rate from said normal sitting position to said fully reclined position.

11. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and a back-rest movable relative to each other, mounting means mounting said body-supporting means on said support for movement during a first motion phase from a normal sitting position to a tilted sitting position with said seat and backrest remaining substantially rigid with each other and during a second motion phase from said tilted sitting position to a fully reclined position the angle between said seat and back-rest increasing, a leg-rest, means mounting said legrest on said chair for coordinated movement from below the front of said seat to a leg-supporting position substantially at the level of the front of said seat in response to said first motion phase of said body-supporting means and for maintaining said leg-rest in said leg-supporting position relative to said seat during said second motion phase, said mounting means in combination with said support and said body-supporting means forming a mounting linkage including said support and said body-supporting means as links thereof, said mounting linkage for said body-supporting means having at least two degrees of freedom and operating with only one degree of freedom in each of said motion phases, a control pivot on a first link of said mounting linkage, at least one mounting pivot on at least one other link of said mounting linkage, limiting means connected to said mounting linkage between said control pivot on said first link and said mounting pivot on said one other link of said mounting linkage, said mounting linkage moving during said two phases of motion to move said control pivot relative to said mounting pivot along one path during said first motion phase and along a second and different path during said second phase, the connections of said limiting means to said mounting linkage at said control pivot and said mounting pivot being positioned relative to each other in said normal sitting position and in said fully reclined position such that said limiting means constrains said control pivot to move relative to said mounting pivot in a third path different from said first and second paths to guide said body-supporting means in a third phase of motion from said normal sitting position to said fully reclined position with the angle between said seat and back-rest increasing at a substantially uniform rate, said limiting means constraining said mounting linkage to selectively move with at least two degrees of freedom, at least one of said connections of said limiting means including a connection open in one direction to allow said control pivot to selectively follow said first and second paths of movement, the leg-rest mounting means coordinating the movement of said leg-rest with the movement of said body-supporting means in said third phase of motion to elevate said leg-rest at a substantially uniform rate as said body-supporting means moves from said normal sitting position to said fully reclined position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,017,321 10/1958 Moore 297320 X 2,843,183 7/1958 Luckhardt 297-320 X 2,918,109 12/1959 Schliephacke 29787 2,918,113 12/1959 Lorenz 297-89 X 2,940,510 6/ 1960 Schliephacke 29788 2,948,330 8/1960 Lorenz 297-83 3,044,827 7/1962 Belisle 29789 FOREIGN PATENTS 355,330 6/1922 Germany. 565,243 8/ 1958 Belgium.

JAMES T. McCALL, Primary Examiner 

1. A RECLINING CHAIR COMPRISING A SUPPORT, BODY-SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING A SEAT AND A BACK REST, AND A LINKAGE FOR MOUNTING SAID BODY-SUPPORTING MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT FROM A NORMAL SITTING POSITION TO A TILTED SITTING POSITION AND FROM SAID TILTED SITTING POSITION TO A FULL RECLINED POSITION, SAID LINKAGE BEING ARRANGED SUCH THAT A POINT ON A LINK OF SAID LINKAGE HAS SUBSTANTIALLY TWO CURVED PATHS OF MOVEMENT JOINED TOGETHER AT A JUNCTION, AND A LIMITING LINK OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID LINKAGE INLCUDING A CONNECTION TO SAID LINK AT SAID POINT, SAID LIMITING LINK PRODUCING A SINGLE ARCUATE PATH JOINING THE FREE ENDS OF SAID TWO CURVED PATHS, SAID LIMITING LINK IN CONJUNCTION WITH SAID LINK OF SAID LINKAGE BEING EFFECTIVE TO LIMIT THE POSITION OF SAID POINT AT ANY INSTANT TO THE 